Animal Updates - December 27

Published December 27, 2013

Northern Hogsuckers in Maryland Mountains to the Sea!

A new group of 10 northern hogsuckers has been added to the Allegheny Stream gallery of our Maryland Mountains to the Sea exhibit!

The hogsucker is a very distinctive-looking fish with a pronounced, fleshy mouth, which it uses to rummage through substrate and sift our food!
Did you know? These fish are good indicators of waterway health, as they are intolerant of polluted and dirty water.
Clown Triggerfish in Surviving Through Adaptation!
A new clown triggerfish has been added to our Displaying gallery!

This species gets its name from unique look - clown triggerfish have black bellies with large white spots and bright yellow lips!

Clown triggerfish are normally shy and solitary, but they can be very aggressive. Some may charge or attack intruders. When hiding from predators, triggerfish lock themselves into small openings with their trigger fin and bite down on the coral or rock to ensure their safety.

These fish can be found in many areas of the Indian and Pacific Oceans such as Africa, Indonesia, Samoa, Japan, and New Caledonia.